The present invention is directed to a sail with segments especially suitable for boats. A primary object of the invention is to improve the ease in handling and the level of safety of a sailing boat, and also to make less difficult the operations required for keeping the sail in a strong wind.
The principles are well-known whereby a sail subjected to the action of the wind is able to impart to a boat a movement whose direction together with the direction of the wind subtends an angle of less than 90 degrees. Under such conditions, the boat moves towards the wind. This type of movement is called "sailing close-hauled," and it together with the other movements, "sailing with the wind on the beam" or "sailing with the wind astern," provides a sailor with freedom of movement in all directions when the only motive force is that supplied by the wind.
By sailing close-hauled it is possible to reach a position to windward by using those typical maneuvers which consist of "tacking." These maneuvers cause the boat to carry out a zig-zag course and to present first one side and then the other to the wind until the boat reaches its destination. This is easy with moderate winds; but, when the force of the wind increases, the action on the sails in sailing close-hauled becomes more and more critical since the boat tends to heel over more and more in the direction towards which the wind is blowing. So as not to capsize under such conditions, it becomes necessary to reduce the surface of the sail. This in turn reduces the aerodynamic efficiency of the sail and the motive thrust. When the wind is strong, almost all maneuvers such as wearing ship, hoisting, and hauling down sails, etc., become difficult.